Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, CFR, has added another feather to his academic cap, earning a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Policy and Strategic Studies from Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja.
Kalu, who represents Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, is already a seasoned scholar with an LL.B and LL.M from the University of Calabar, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Laws (LL.D). His academic journey has also taken him across the globe, earning certificates from institutions in Italy, the Netherlands, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, alongside a Master of Business Administration from Oxford Brookes University, UK.
His doctoral thesis, titled “Government Capacity to Integrate International Climate Adaptation Strategies and Policies in Nigeria”, addresses one of the most urgent issues of our time: how developing nations can build resilience against climate change.
In his research, Kalu highlighted the country’s environmental fragility: prolonged droughts in the north fuelling desertification, rising sea levels threatening southern coastal areas, and Nigeria’s overdependence on rain-fed agriculture. He cited the devastating 2024 floods, which destroyed more than 1.5 million hectares of farmland across 29 states, affected nine million people, and worsened food insecurity that could rise to 33 million Nigerians by mid-2025.
“The Nigeria’s climate vulnerability is multifaceted,” Kalu wrote. “These environmental challenges have reached alarming proportions. If we do not act decisively, the human and economic toll will only grow.”
Following his thesis defence, Kalu was received by Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Patricia Manko Lar, where he expressed gratitude for the “rigorous and inspiring” academic experience.
“I did not come to the University of Abuja to acquire a title,” he told the gathering. “I came to pick up instruments—tools for nation-building. Climate change is robbing Nigeria of lives, livelihoods, and opportunities. My goal was to understand how we can integrate international strategies into our national policy framework, and I have found those answers here.”
Kalu, who has sponsored over 100 bills in the current 10th National Assembly, pledged to translate his findings into actionable legislative initiatives. “You will be hearing it in the National Assembly,” he said. “This university has contributed to my capacity to serve, and I will ensure the output of this research informs our lawmaking.”
Kalu urged Nigerians to reconsider the tendency to look abroad for quality education, stressing the untapped potential of local universities.
“While we have opportunities to study overseas, it’s important that we look at the institutions we fund as governments,” he said. “It increases the integrity and credibility of our local institutions. I came here to inspire young people who think their dreams are only possible if they get a visa. What you are looking for out there is here.”
The Deputy Speaker shared that he kept a low profile during his studies to ensure he was treated like any other student. “Most of my lecturers and classmates didn’t know I am the Deputy Speaker. I wore my face cap and T-shirt, sat at the back, and covered my face. They only found out towards the end. And they treated me equally even during my examinations.”
He described Yakubu Gowon University as a “solution hub” for Nigeria’s challenges. “Universities are not for fanfare they are engines of national growth. This institution has equipped me with knowledge and tools I will use to help our nation grow.”
